NEW YORK (Reuters) — Toyota
Motor Corp. <7203.T> will restructure its marketing
organization in California, the company said on Sunday.

Many of Toyota's more than 5,000 California-based
employees are based at a complex outside of Los Angeles
that houses the company's marketing operations, Toyota
Motor Sales USA (TMS).

A company spokeswoman confirmed the
restructuring, which was first reported by the Wall Street
Journal, and said it would be effective May 1.

"Roles and responsibilities will be redefined" to create a more
efficient team, the spokeswoman said, and those whose roles have
been eliminated can apply for new roles within the reorganized
operation, elsewhere in TMS, or at Toyota Financial Services. A
voluntary exit program is also available.

TMS handles the non-technical and non-manufacturing aspects of
the business: sales, service, advertising and public relations.

Toyota has a small manufacturing operation in Long Beach,
California, as well as vehicle factories in lower-cost states
like Kentucky, Indiana, Texas and Mississippi.

Until 2006, most Asian auto makers were based in Southern
California. In 2006, Nissan moved its headquarters from
California to Nashville, Tennessee.

It is unclear if this is the first step in a similar move to
transition to another state where labor and taxes are lower. A
spokeswoman said the company would make a full announcement on
Monday.